JAMES MCNEIL'S STUDENTS RESPOND TO BOGUS CHARGES
Gary Thomas
>James McNeil was a brother of my teacher Mike Patterson in Taiwan of Master
>Hsu Hong Ci. James McNeil has done a few unscrupolous business practices and
>making many unsubstiantiated claims are his forte. Examine his 5 element
>postures. These would wield even the least bit of overall kinetic energy. If
>one gets the chance to meet him ask him about his splashing hands martial
>art...how he could say that is one of the most devastating fighting styles is
>absurd...it is a 20th century bs technique forwarded by a one JoJi Holland a
>formidable BOXER type fighter. James McNeil and his technique are
>characterized by a rapid blinking when executing a move or series of
>moves...this telegraphs a certain unfocus of the mind...
>anyways enuff of this...any student of his care to comment. I speak from one
>who knows much of Mcneil and I DO NOT recommend him highly for this or any
>other training unless you want a good laugh...Flame on readers but be
>aware....not all teachers are looking out for YOUR best interest and those of
>us in the know must pick up the slack here. Dzay Jyan.
I am posting the following responses for 2 of Sifu McNeil's students:
My name is Ira and I have been a student of Sifu McNeil. I have been studying
different styles of martial arts for the past 20 years. Eight years ago I started
learning Splashing Hands Kung Fu. I am 6'6" tall so I am big, black and mean.
Sifu McNeil made me bigger, faster and alot meaner. So I am ready to take you or
your teacher on both at the same time. Let me see how good you or your teacher is.
I don't like anyone talking lies about my teacher, just like he doesn't like
people talking lies about his teachers.
Sincerely,
Ira
My name is Bill and I was a student of Mike Patterson for over 10 years. About 6
years ago I quit Mike's school to seek out a better teacher. The best teacher I
found was Sifu McNeil. His skills are superior to Mike's in every way. I know for a
fact Mike Patterson has for years been jealous of Sifu McNeil. Mike Patterson has
stole, cheated and lied many times. He stold (from Sifu McNeil) an 8mm video tape of
master Hsu Hung Chi doing Tien-Gunn and bragged about it to us black belt students.
Even knowing that, Sifu McNeil would have made him one if he had asked. He was so
jealous of Sifu McNeil he didn't want Sifu to have it back so he said it was lost in
the mail. But the joke was on Mike because Master Hsu knew all about the film and
made Sifu McNeil a better one.
Mike went to a Chi Kung master one day to get his back fixed and while doing a simple
horse stance, the master laughed and said to Mike "You don't even know how to sit in
a horse stance correctly".
There have been about ten of Mike Patterson's students who have visited Sifu McNeil's
school in seeking out a true teacher. Four of us have joined and the others come down
off and on to talk and learn. Sifu McNeil has done several seminars in San Diego and
all ten of Mike's former students were always there. None of Sifu McNeils students
would ever quit and downgrade themselves and go with Patterson.
I was even at Mike's house when Sifu McNeil and a man from Australia taught Mike
Patterson Ba-Kua in his house. To this day Mike still says Master Hsu taught him
Ba-Kua. The only thing is Master Hsu never taught anyone Ba-Kua.
I am closing this by saying I hope Mike will one day grow up.
Bill
Gary Thomas
>James McNeil was a brother of my teacher Mike Patterson in Taiwan of Master
>Hsu Hong Ci. James McNeil has done a few unscrupolous business practices and
>making many unsubstiantiated claims are his forte. Examine his 5 element
>postures. These would wield even the least bit of overall kinetic energy. If
>one gets the chance to meet him ask him about his splashing hands martial
>art...how he could say that is one of the most devastating fighting styles is
>absurd...it is a 20th century bs technique forwarded by a one JoJi Holland a
>formidable BOXER type fighter. James McNeil and his technique are
>characterized by a rapid blinking when executing a move or series of
>moves...this telegraphs a certain unfocus of the mind...
>anyways enuff of this...any student of his care to comment. I speak from one
>who knows much of Mcneil and I DO NOT recommend him highly for this or any
>other training unless you want a good laugh...Flame on readers but be
>aware....not all teachers are looking out for YOUR best interest and those of
>us in the know must pick up the slack here. Dzay Jyan.
I am posting this response for Shihan Joji Holland:
I have been a student of Sifu McNeil for over 15 years and like many who
have come from all over the world to study Kung-Fu have found a truly gifted
teacher who exemplifies the true knowledge of Kung-Fu. Let me start by saying
that Sifu McNeil was granted a 5th degree black belt from the late Hsing-I
master Hsu Hung Chi. Your teacher Mike Patterson was given a 1st degree black
belt and that alone shows that master Hsu Hung Chi believed Sifu McNeil was
superior. Your teacher did make himself a 2nd and 3rd degree black belt
certificate but it didn't come from master Hsu Hung Chi.
Sifu McNeil has been in over 20 martial arts magazines, has made over 22
videos, has written a book on Hsing-I and is well respected by many true
masters of the martial arts around the world. I would like your teacher, Mike
Patterson to compare his achievements with those of Sifu McNeil. For the past
30 years Sifu McNeil has been training continuously with teachers from Taiwan.
Just who has your teacher been training with? I believe the age difference
makes it possible that while your teacher was in diapers Sifu McNeil was in
Kung-Fu training.
Inside Kung Fu magazine has recognized this master's achievements as an expert
in his field of Kung-Fu. For example, the article dated Aug '94: Splashing
Hands, states that Splashing Hands is a traditional Chinese system traced back
to the 1700's. The late master Haumea Lefiti taught Sifu McNeil this
"devastating fighting style of Kung-Fu" 30 years ago. To set the record
straight I learned this system from Sifu McNeil. At the "Tang Shou Tao Full
Contact Tournament" in Alhambra, Ca 1981, I defeated Mike Patterson's No. 1
student in 11 seconds. To this day four of Mike Patterson's students have left
his side to learn from Sifu McNeil. No one has ever left Sifu McNeil to join
Mike Patterson. You may want to find out why they left... The truth may be in
Sifu's knowlege of true Kung-Fu.
In closing, my door is forever open to anyone from Mike Patterson's school who
wishes to test their skills or knowledge of Kung-Fu.
Best wishes always,
Joji Holland
Manowar
: I have been a student of Sifu McNeil for over 15 years and like many who
: have come from all over the world to study Kung-Fu have found a truly gifted
: teacher who exemplifies the true knowledge of Kung-Fu. Let me start by saying
: that Sifu McNeil was granted a 5th degree black belt from the late Hsing-I
: master Hsu Hung Chi. Your teacher Mike Patterson was given a 1st degree black
: belt and that alone shows that master Hsu Hung Chi believed Sifu McNeil was
: superior. Your teacher did make himself a 2nd and 3rd degree black belt
: certificate but it didn't come from master Hsu Hung Chi.
Umm.... BLACK BELTS IN AN INTERNAL CHINESE M.A. ?????????
Cool....
OZ
TAN SIAH YEOW
: Cool....
as far as i know, the belt system was confined more or less to the
Japanese/Okinawan arts. Hmmmmm.......
Not that I doubt Gary...maybe it's something new that came up lately.
Tye Botting, SysAdmin
%: Umm.... BLACK BELTS IN AN INTERNAL CHINESE M.A. ?????????
%
%as far as i know, the belt system was confined more or less to the
%Japanese/Okinawan arts. Hmmmmm.......
%Not that I doubt Gary...maybe it's something new that came up lately.
Actually, I can think of several chinese styles that, upon spreading
out from their origins, adopted the use of ranking sashes or belts,
to fit in, encourage students, or whatever. But you're right, it is
relatively new.
We actually use them (sashes); not that I really like it, but...
Tye Botting | See the glazed eyes,
t...@pro-haven.cts.com | Touch the dead skin,
bot...@leper.tamu.edu | Feel the cold lips,
| And know the warmth of the Hip Death Goddess.
N.Shaolin/N.Praying Mantis |
Yang & Chen Tai Chi | -Ultimate Spinach
Modern Arnis |
Judasbooth
belt is four degrees bigger than your teacher's and if you say otherwise
I'll beat your ass."? It was my understanding that there wasn't a belt
system in the Chinese Internal Arts. I have been practicing Hsing-I and
Pa Kua for a couple of years in NYC and have been fortunate enough to have
found an excellent teacher. By that I mean he is highly knowledgable and
open to sharing that knowledge. My take on McNeil from what I've seen of
him in various MA magazines is that he needs to relax. Every picture of
him he looks like a muskrat on speed, but, hey, that's my opinion. All I
have to go on are those pictures and now the reactions of his students,
and it sounds as though they could benefit from the same advice: Relax.
Judas
Desmond Chan
: Actually, I can think of several chinese styles that, upon spreading
: out from their origins, adopted the use of ranking sashes or belts,
: to fit in, encourage students, or whatever. But you're right, it is
: relatively new.
: We actually use them (sashes); not that I really like it, but...
I think some Chinese styles use the belt system because that's what
people in the Western world are used to because of their familarity with
Japanese system. I think it is still common for Chinese martial art
schools in Asia - especially those run by older sifus - not to have any
ranking system at all.
D Chan